Chairman, Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners: Account for the Millions Given to the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce

Millions of taxpayer dollars have been given to the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce on a no-bid basis. Gwinnett County taxpayers deserve to know how that money was spent, what deliverables were provided by the Gwinnett Chamber in return for the taxpayer money, and if taxpayer dollars were used to lobby for a tax increase.

Over the past 5 years, our county government has given the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce millions of taxpayer dollars on a no-bid basis to act as the county’s economic development partner. The chamber claims to have brought 280 businesses to the county, created 12,000 jobs and generated $800 million of economic activity, but refuses to provide information to support that claim.

Gwinnett County Public Schools claims to have received $6 million in return for paying the salaries of chamber employees. The school board has refused to answer questions about how they arrived at the $6 million figure.

The contract between the county and the chamber requires the chamber to “lobby for better transit options and transportation infrastructure needs”. Should taxpayers be paying the chamber to lobby?

Do you, as our elected officials, believe you have met your fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers by continuing to fund the Gwinnett Chamber?